The Cities Support Programme (CSP) of National Treasury is implementing a Township Economic Development (TED) Project with SLF as the leading technical partner. The TED project supports a holistic theory of change that includes the development goals of redressing spatial inequality; enhancing economic opportunities; reducing red-tape obstacles; building community and social institutions; supporting property markets and investment in housing; protecting ecosystems; and managing urban spaces.

The TED project partners with 5 metropolitan municipalities to implement TED strategies in one pilot site in each metro. The participating metros and pilots are the City of Cape Town (Delft), Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (New Brighton), eThekwini Metro (Pinetown South), the City of Ekurhuleni (Thembisa) and the City of Tshwane (Hammanskraal). The programme aim is to institutionalise multi-sectoral, area-based, economic development planning. As of April 2023, three phases of the project have been completed.  A fourth phase has now commenced.

With the support of the technical assistance team, the TED project has enabled the 5 metros to produce spatially informed, evidence based Township Economic Development Strategies for each of the pilot sites. The strategies include intervention  aimed at fostering economic growth and development in the pilot sites. Technical support has assisted the metro partners to plan and commence the implementation of 8 development projects in each pilot.

During Phase 4 of the project, which will run until March 2025, SLF’s technical support will focus on advancing the implementation of 4 projects in each pilot site. This phase will prioritise the institutionalisation of the TED planning approach.